Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in agriculture in each of the last five years, giving the percentage change on a year-on-year basis.

Ross Finnie: Statistics on the number of people employed in agriculture in each of the last five years are published in the Abstract of Scottish Agricultural Statistics 1982 to 2003 . This report is available on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00317-00.asp .

Air Transport

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many aircraft registered to Scottish addresses and with a maximum take-off weight over 5,700kg are operating public transport services.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on aircraft registered to Scottish addresses.

Arts

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for the long-term retention of Scottish opera chorus singers after 2005.

Mr Frank McAveety: The employment of performers by Scottish Opera is a matter for the management of the company.

Audiology

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for a patient to get an initial appointment with an audiologist after being referred by a general practitioner.

Mr Tom McCabe: The specific information is not held centrally, but we do have data on the length of time patients wait for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant. The median waiting time for a first out-patient appointment with an ENT consultant reduced by three days during the year ending 31 March 2004, from 66 days to 63 days.

  We are committed to modernising and improving audiology services across Scotland and have made almost £20 million available over the five year period to 2006-07.

Beaches

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the main beach at Largs continuing not to reach European bathing water standards, why the reasons were not successfully addressed after previously not reaching the standards; and what steps it will now take to address outstanding issues and ensure that in future the beach reaches and surpasses such standards.

Allan Wilson: Largs main beach is not a designated bathing water under the Bathing Waters Directive (76/160/EEC) and there is no statutory requirement for it to meet the standards of that directive.

  Diffuse pollution and overflows from the sewage system, both resulting from the severely wet summer, contributed to the situation at Largs main this season. Enforcing compliance with discharge consents are operational matters for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

  Subject to planning approval, Scottish Water is developing plans for a £10.8 million project to build a new secondary level waste water treatment works and associated pipe works and storm storage capacity to cater for Largs.

  The Executive is funding several pilot projects on retrofitting of sustainable urban drainage, installation of ponds or wetlands on farms, co-digestion of slurry with sewage sludge to produce biogas and on farm-scale biogas or composting to help identify how diffuse pollution might be further reduced.

Carers

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support young carers in Aberdeen and the north east of Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: Local authority social work departments and a range of other bodies, for instance schools and GP practices, have a key role to play in identifying young carers, and helping them to access support as children in need. In addition to our Carers Strategy, other health and social care policies are also benefiting young carers. For example, our development of a framework on child and adolescent mental health and work to support children in families affected by drug misuse. It is our intention to work with key stakeholders to look at improving the support and protection available to this particularly vulnerable group.

Child Protection

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why, under Scots law, the spouse of a person accused of abusing their own child cannot be compelled to give evidence.

Cathy Jamieson: The general law is that a spouse can be compelled to give evidence for the defence.

  A spouse is a compellable witness for the prosecution only where an accused spouse is charged with an offence against the other spouse. In all other circumstances, a spouse cannot be compelled to give evidence. The history of this law recognises the special nature of marriage and the public interest in respecting and sustaining the privacy of the relationship between spouses.

Drug Misuse

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce drug-related deaths.

Hugh Henry: We have invested an additional £34 million over the last three years in treatment and rehabilitation services. This has supported a 41% increase in non-residential services, and a 33% increase in residential services since 1999-2000. In 2003-04, over 12,650 "new" patients attended services, an 8% increase from the previous year.

  We are also funding a new initiative to provide first-aid training for front-line workers, drug misusers and families to reduce risks from overdoses. New information materials for prisoners will explain the risks from relapse and overdose on release.

Education

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that Scottish Executive Education Department Circular 2/2001 is implemented by local education authorities.

Peter Peacock: Circular 2/2001 (Conduct of Sex Education in Scottish Schools) was issued under Section 56 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000, which required education authorities to have regard to Scottish Executive guidance in developing and providing sex education programmes. At local level, authorities and schools have discretion over the nature of such programmes and the materials used within them.

  Supplementary material to assist authorities – including guidance on effective consultation with parents and carers, and a summary of national advice on sex education – was issued with the circular. In 2003, HM Inspectorate of Education issued "Education About Responsible Relationships and Sexuality" within its How Good is our School? self-evaluation series. This resource is designed to assist schools evaluate the quality of sex education within the context of the Executive guidance and support material.

Environment

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to protect native biodiversity from the impact of non-native species.

Allan Wilson: We are concluding the analysis of the Consultation of Non-Native Species Policy which closed at the end of June. We had an excellent and informative response – with over 60 consultees contributing. That will help us put in place appropriate measures to address non-native issues. I expect to publish these responses and our conclusions early in the New Year.

Film and Television Industry

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the Scottish film and television industry.

Mr Frank McAveety: We support the screen industries through Scottish Screen, which presently receives nearly £3 million in annual funding. Although broadcasting itself is a reserved matter, we established the Screen Industries Summit Group last year to help channel Scottish Executive support for Scotland’s Film and Television industry.

Fire Service

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the recent settlement in the firefighters’ pay agreement, it will allocate the agreed funding to develop services in the Highlands and Islands.

Hugh Henry: I am pleased to confirm that the Executive is releasing additional funding to assist the Highland and Islands Fire Board with its development plans. This will amount to a total of up to £3 million in this financial year, with similar or increased funding in future years, if necessary.

First Minister

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the First Minister has met Lord Fraser of Carmyllie since taking office and on what dates such meetings took place.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The First Minister met Lord Fraser on 23 June 2003 to discuss the terms of reference for the Holyrood Inquiry. The Auditor General for Scotland was present as was I. This is the only occasion on which I or the First Minister have discussed the inquiry with Lord Fraser.

  Subsequently, the First Minister was present at two social functions that Lord Fraser also attended: at a charity event in Carnoustie Hotel on 12 September 2003 hosted by Scottish and Southern Energy plc; and, at a reception for Scottish Parliamentarians at Westminster in Dover House on 5 July 2004.

Health

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on having a fully-functioning health service in areas seeking to attract economic development.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive believes it is important to have high quality health care available throughout Scotland.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in (a) each NHS board area and (b) total were classified as clinically obese in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the child population and giving the percentage change on a year-on-year basis.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information for all NHS boards in Scotland is currently not available.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in (a) each NHS board area and (b) total were classified as clinically obese in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the population and giving the percentage change on a year-on-year basis.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on the prevalence of adult information in Scotland by NHS board for the last five years is not centrally available. The latest source of this information is from the 1998 Scottish Health Survey and is shown in the following table.

  Percentage and Number of Persons Aged 16-64 Years who are Obese

  

Health Board
% who are Obese, 1998
Estimated Population who are Obese, 1998
Percentage Difference 1998 to 19951


Scotland
19.8
653,277
17.8


Argyll and Clyde
22.8
62,452
42.1


Ayrshire and Arran
21.7
51,252
30.1


Borders
17.7
11,642
-5.5


Dumfries and Galloway
19.5
17,979
22.0


Fife
20.2
44,756
24.4


Forth Valley
17.5
31,547
3.0


Grampian
18.6
64,690
6.6


Greater Glasgow
18.6
104,856
18.4


Highland and Islands
21.1
37,292
9.6


Lanarkshire
22.3
81,025
10.7


Lothian
19.0
97,044
35.2


Tayside
19.4
48,466
7.7



  Note: 1. The percentage difference was determined by calculating the change in the percentage obese between 1995 and 1998.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of exercise the average child undertakes weekly.

Mr Tom McCabe: The minimum amount of physical activity required for health in children is one hour a day of moderate activity on five or more days a week. In Scotland, 73% of boys and 60% of girls meet this minimum requirement.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of exercise the average adult undertakes weekly.

Mr Tom McCabe: The minimum amount of physical activity required for health is 30 minutes a day of moderate activity on five or more days a week. In Scotland, 41% of men and 28% of women meet this minimum requirement.

Health

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive which pharmaceutical companies are the largest suppliers to the NHS in respect of (a) volume and (b) annual expenditure.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information in the form requested is not available centrally. Data on drugs dispensed in the community are collected by NHS National Services Scotland and include the drug name, formulation and cost. Many generic drugs are available from different manufacturers and this information is not recorded.

Licensing

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will involve communities in the licensing process.

Hugh Henry: Our proposal for a modern licensing system recognises the need for communities to have a voice.

  We will do this by widening the range of people who can object to individual licences; by ensuring boards must consult local communities in developing their policies on over provision, and by introducing local forums to improve dialogue between licensing boards and local communities.

Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards implementing wildlife crime measures in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and when such measures will come into force.

Allan Wilson: The wildlife protection measures in Part 3 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 will be brought into force by a Commencement Order on 1 October 2004. Part 3 also makes provision for the preparation by Scottish Natural Heritage of a Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code.

  In addition, sections 15(2) and 54 of the act will come into force on 1 October. These sections make provision for the issuing of guidance, and for the designation of relevant regulatory authorities, in advance of the commencement of the biodiversity and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) provisions in the act.

  The remaining provisions of the act will be brought into force later in the year.

Planning

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Inquiry Reporters Unit is required to take into account the previous environmental record of an applicant when deciding on a planning application.

Ms Margaret Curran: A reporter will consider any information placed before her or him and will decide its relevance, in land use planning terms, as a material consideration in the particular case. As a general rule though, land use planning relates to the "use" of land, rather than the "user" and any planning permission granted runs with the land and is not personal to the applicant.

Planning

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the legal position is in respect of planning applications that are dependent on land being purchased from a local authority being considered by the same local authority.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: As far as the requirements of planning legislation are concerned, a planning authority must process a planning application in which they have an interest as they would any other. In addition, the Town and Country Planning (Notification of Applications) (Scotland) Direction 1997 , as amended, includes requirements on planning authorities to notify certain planning applications in which they have an interest to the Scottish ministers before they grant planning permission.

  These notification requirements apply where any planning authority proposes to grant planning permission for development to be located on land wholly or partly in their ownership or in which they have an interest, and the proposed development does not accord with the adopted or approved local plan for the area or has been the subject of a substantial body of objections.

  Notification allows the Scottish ministers to consider whether there are any planning issues which would warrant call in of the application for their determination.

Poverty

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in (a) each local authority area and (b) total were defined as living in poverty in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the population and giving the percentage change on a year-on-year basis.

Margaret Curran: The following table presents the number and proportions of persons living in low-income in Scotland in each of the last five years. Estimates are available at Scotland level only, not by local authority area.

  Proportion and Number of Individuals in Low-Income Households, below 60% of GB Median Income, Scotland Thousands

  

 Year
Absolute
Relative


Before Housing
Costs
After Housing
Costs
Before Housing
Costs
After Housing
Costs


%
Numbers
%
Numbers
%
Numbers
%
Numbers


1998-99
17
870
21
1,070
19
940
23
1,150


1999-2000
15
770
19
950
18
920
22
1,110


2000-01
15
740
18
880
19
960
24
1,190


2001-02
11
540
13
650
18
890
21
1,070


2002-03
12
580
14
690
19
960
22
1,100



  The key low-income results, above, are for 60% of both the relative and absolute median thresholds. Estimates on the full range of income thresholds and explanation of how these estimates are calculated are published in Households Below Average Income, 1994-95 – 2002-03, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 32212).

  The relative low-income measure compares against the median in the same year. The absolute measure compares against the median in the baseline year of 1996-97. Both areas are uprated to remove the effects of inflation.

  The figures are estimates based on a sample survey and are therefore subject to sampling variation. As such, small percentage changes are not significant when considered on a year-on-year basis; identification of trends should be based on several years of data.

Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline its programme in respect of the implementation of the draft Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill.

Cathy Jamieson: We intend to introduce the bill in the current session. The bill creates new offences connected with the grooming of children and strengthens the legal framework for dealing with sex offenders and those thought to pose a risk to children and the public in general. These measures will be implemented when the bill receives Royal Assent, which we hope to achieve in the spring of 2005.

  The bill is part of a programme of measures for increasing the protection of children which includes advice for children and parents on the safer use of the internet.

Public Bodies

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people applied for the recently advertised post of chief executive of  sportscotland and, of these, what percentage were women, how many candidates were shortlisted for interview and, of these, what percentage were women, and what the shortlisting criteria were.

Mr Frank McAveety: Sportscotland is committed to achieving equality of opportunity in employment and eliminating discrimination in all its forms including discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, sexuality, religious belief, political belief, trade union activity, responsibility for dependants, employment status or HIV status. This policy is applied in relation to its current and future workforce.

  A total of 89 applications were received. It was disappointing that only six (7%) of these were from women. Each of the applications was carefully considered by sportscotland and the recruitment agency used for this appointment, Thomson Partners, against the criteria set out in the person specification included in the application pack issued to all applicants. These criteria included experience of directing and managing sizeable organisations; strong capability at a strategic level; evidence of the development of effective partnerships; a strong affinity with sport, and strong intellectual and interpersonal skills. This resulted in eight applicants being shortlisted for interview, of which none was a woman.

Public Transport

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support the creation of a direct rail or tram link from Glasgow to Braehead.

Nicol Stephen: We have awarded £535,000 to Glasgow City Council to carry out a Clyde Corridor Transport Study, which includes investigation of the potential for a fixed tram link between Glasgow and the Braehead shopping centre. The final report has only recently been submitted to the Executive. Its findings and recommendations will be given detailed consideration. New infrastructure proposals will be assessed in due course as part of the Strategic Projects Review.

Rail Services

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the projected demand for passenger rail services between Fife and Edinburgh up to 2009.

Nicol Stephen: Projected future demand was assessed prior to the decision to introduce new longer trains on services to Fife, but not for the period to 2009.

Rail Services

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is ensuring that trains run on time.

Nicol Stephen: The new ScotRail franchise starts on 17 October. Under the terms of that agreement, ScotRail will be required to meet tough punctuality standards. Failure to meet these standards will lead to financial penalties.

  Investment in new rolling stock along with station improvements will also improve reliability.

Roads

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be taken on the exact location of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Nicol Stephen: We will hold a series of public exhibitions later this year showing the emerging preferred route. The statutory draft road and compulsory purchase orders will be published in the spring of 2005.

Schools

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards are in place to prevent loss of playing fields as a result of school rebuilding schemes carried out under public private partnerships.

Peter Peacock: Regulations already govern the minimum area of school playing fields according to the size of the school roll. In addition, there are safeguards under the planning system where redevelopment of playing fields is proposed. These arrangements apply regardless of the procurement arrangements.

Scottish Executive Staff

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who has ultimate managerial responsibility for staff working for the Scottish Executive.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Permanent Secretary has that responsibility.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals from the recent diet of Scottish Qualifications Authority exams were successful due to errors in marking and what steps have been taken to address such errors, particularly in relation to intermediate level results.

Peter Peacock: The appeals system for national qualifications is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. The enquiry should be directed to them as the Scottish Executive does not possess this data.

Voluntary Sector

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase the training support given to social care employers in the voluntary sector.

Euan Robson: We are currently investing an additional £3 million over three years for voluntary sector training.

  We have also invested an additional £9 million in local authorities over three years for social work training. I have made it clear I expect that voluntary organisations will share in and benefit from this extra investment.

Voluntary Sector

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are in respect of consulting the voluntary sector collectively on social care education and provision.

Euan Robson: In encouraging good practice and co-operative methods of decision-making, the Executive will consult as appropriate in a flexible and open way, communicating clearly and using appropriate media.

  I also chair a National Workforce Group to develop a long-term strategy for the social care sector which includes representation from the voluntary sector.

Young People

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for a publicity campaign to encourage Scotland’s school and college students to carry a PASS-accredited proof-of-age card if intending to buy age-restricted products.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are no plans for a national publicity campaign. However, 12 to 18-year-olds are encouraged through the Dialogue Youth project to voluntarily take up the offer of a combined local authority/Young Scot card. Supporting materials underline to young people the value of these PASS accredited cards in providing proof of age when purchasing age restricted goods. Retailers are also encouraged to adopt a "no proof, no sale" approach to age-restricted sales.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Inquiry

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government in support of the Scotland Act 1998 being amended to extend the SPCB’s powers of delegation as recommended by Lord Fraser in the report of the Holyrood Inquiry.

George Reid: On 22 September the Parliament unanimously approved a resolution inviting the SPCB to consider the Fraser Report. This the SPCB will do. As part of that process, consideration will be given to the recommendation of Lord Fraser that section 21 of the Scotland Act should be amended.

Parliamentary Accommodation

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether any of the Parliament’s facilities have been considered for use as possible conference facilities when it is not sitting.

George Reid: The SPCB commissioned external consultants to research the potential of the new building for use for events. As a result, the SPCB has appointed a fixed-term staff member to develop procedures, co-ordinate events and monitor the demands and expectations of all of those wishing to hold events at Holyrood. The SPCB approved an interim Events Policy in June 2004. This places a moratorium on all non-business related events until December 2004 and on all large events until Easter 2005. A report will be produced for the SPCB in December 2004 to review the first few months of running events and this will make recommendations for future ways of working, including the use of parliamentary facilities during recess.